Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District budget 2026-27

Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District

Salem County · 2026-27 budget, from New Jersey Department of Education files. Budgets are set for a whole district, so every school in it shares these figures.

Spending

Day-to-day spending2025-26: $53M → 2026-27: $56.8M (+7.3%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
Employee benefits2025-26: $8.9M → 2026-27: $11.4M (+28.3%)20% of day-to-day spending.Salem County median +19.9% · New Jersey median +18.2%
Everything else2025-26: $44.1M → 2026-27: $45.4M (+3%)Salem County median +0.4% · New Jersey median +0.5%

Where the money comes from

Local school tax levy2025-26: $11.1M → 2026-27: $11.1M (0%)Salem County median +3.9% · New Jersey median +5%
State school aid, K–122025-26: $41.7M → 2026-27: $44.2M (+6%)Salem County median +5.9% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Equalization aid$37M → $38.8M
- Special education aid$3M → $3.3M
- Transportation aid$857,205 → $1.2M
- Security aid$898,178 → $957,480
Equalization, special education, transportation and security aid together can rise by no more than 6% a year, and this district is at that limit: the formula alone would have given more. Equalization aid is based on the gap between what the state's formula says a district needs and the share it expects local taxes to raise. From the state's aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
State preschool aid2025-26: $1.9M → 2026-27: $4.5M (+139.1%)Paid into a separate fund that can only be spent on preschool. From the state's preschool aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Federal special education grant (IDEA)2025-26: $652,649 → 2026-27: $678,839 (+4%)Salem County median +1.9% · New Jersey median +1.7%Federal money for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21. The 2026-27 award is the state's preliminary figure. From the state's IDEA award files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Surplus budgeted to balance the budget2025-26: $2.6M → 2026-27: $1.8MPlanned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.

Health insurance costs

Health benefits, audited2022-23: $4.9M → 2024-25: $5.9M (+19.5%)Salem County median +17.1% · New Jersey median +18.1%What the district actually spent, from its audited annual financial reports: 2022-23, 2024-25

Teachers

Students per teacher2021-22: 12.5 → 2024-25: 11.6Salem County median 10.8 · New Jersey median 10.7
Median teacher salary2024-25: $70,237Salem County median $70,308 · New Jersey median $78,587

New Jersey School Performance Reports

Medians are across districts whose budgets are comparable; services commissions and districts outside the state aid formula are left out.